Canadians Knock Off Sharks, 3-1
MONTREAL, Canada (AP) ― Mathieu Darche, Tomas Plekanec and Michael Cammalleri scored and the Montreal Canadiens won consecutive games for the first time in more than two weeks with a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
Carey Price stopped 26 shots for Montreal, which is 3-0-1 in its last four games. The Canadiens, who won 5-1 in New Jersey on Thursday night, had alternated wins and losses since Nov. 16.
Benn Ferreiro scored his third goal in four games for San Jose, which has alternated wins and losses since a 4-0-3 run from Nov. 6-18.
Antii Niemi made 16 saves after posting his — and the Sharks' — first shutout of the season in a 4-0 win Thursday night in Dany Heatley's return to Ottawa.
Montreal drew two minors, the only penalties called in the game. Plekanec was sent off 1:34 into the second for hooking Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Lars Eller drew a holding penalty with 4 minutes left in the third.
Plekance gave the Canadiens' their second lead 13:58 into the second. He put a shot from the slot inside the right post for his ninth goal to make it 2-1.
Cammalleri increased Montreal's advantage at 8:22 of the third. Niemi stopped Roman Hamrlik's backhand but Cammalleri put away the rebound for his eighth goal.
Darche opened the scoring with his fifth goal 6 minutes in. Benoit Pouliot fed the puck ahead to Darche, who put his initial shot wide before flipping home the rebound off the end boards from a sharp angle.
Ferreiro tied it at 1 at 13:04 when he picked the top left corner from the left side.
NOTES: Ferreiro, who had an assist Thursday, has recorded points in each of the four games he has played since he was recalled from Worcester of the AHL a week earlier. ... Canadiens D P.K. Subban was not in uniform for a second straight game. ... Price tried for a goal with Niemi pulled but his soaring shot was headed wide when it was cut off at the Sharks' blue line.
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